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If you've been sticking close to home during the pandemic, you're probably not planning a road tip to Yamhill County's wine country anytime soon. But one of the region's renowned labels is making it easier to get its product without leaving Portland by setting up shop in the heart of the Pearl.
Erath Winery announced today it will open its tasting room Thursday, Sept. 10, at Northwest Marshall Street and 15th Avenue near the former BridgePort Brewing facility.
The new space's COVID-19 precautions include several seated tasting flights to prevent crowding as well as contactless curbside pickup. For the first time, Erath is selling its wine by the growlerful thanks to the installation of a filling station with a rotating selection on tap.
Erath has a long history in winemaking, which started when founder Dick Erath made his first batch in his garage in 1965. Seven years later, the company produced the Dundee Hills' first 216 cases of commercial wine.
The label's tasting room is in a building with its own history in the wine industry. Originally constructed in 1908, the structure served as a warehouse for the House of Celsi wine brand from 1945 to 1957. You can still spot remnants of the brand's old sign on the exterior's west side.
To commemorate the opening, Erath will contribute $1 for every bottle sold there through November to three local organizations: Lift UP, which provides food for those in need; Mudbone Grown, a Black-owned farm enterprise that promotes community-based agriculture; and Regional Arts & Culture Council, a nonprofit that provides grants to tricounty artists.
To start out, hours are 11 am-5 pm Thursday through Sunday. That may be expanded as conditions allow.